Product Description

Wood ducks, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Common Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers and Buffleheads are all cavity nesting ducks. They build nests in abandoned woodpecker holes or natural tree cavities caused by disease, fire or lightning. These ducks will also use a constructed nesting box such as the Lone Star Wood Duck Nesting Box ®.

This Wood Duck nesting box kit is built according to the recommended dimensions of Ducks Unlimited ®. This house is built to last and withstand the environmental elements commonly experienced where where ducks come to nest.

Where to find tenants: To increase the chances of your nest box being used by waterfowl, it should be located in an area attractive to cavity nesting ducks. You’ll see these birds using wooded wetlands that contain water year round or, at least, throughout the summer. You’ll also see them using trees along riverbanks and lake shorelines.

Positioning your nest box: Nest boxes can be mounted on tree trunks or on steel poles beside the water or above the water.

Good placement: a dead tree at the water’s edge

Better placement: a solid dead tree in the water

Best placement: boxes on poles near standing, flooded, dead trees Live trees can be used for mounting boxes, but keep a close eye on your box. Growing trees may loosen mounts and make boxes less attractive to the birds.

Tree Trunks: Live and dead trees are suitable. If beavers are about, don’t place nest boxes on poplar or white birch trees. Beavers eat these trees.

Steel Poles: Make sure the poles are fixed solidly in the soil, or marsh bottom, to ensure that the nest boxes are stable. Drill two holes in this pole to accommodate a predator guard (see below).

• Boxes should be placed above typical high water levels and at a height that will allow you to access the box for monitoring and maintenance (about 4 to 6 feet above land or water). In terms of distance inland, try to keep your box close to the water.

• Clear an unobstructed flight path to your nest box by removing branches that might be in the way.

• The entrance hole to the box should face the water.

Nest box maintenance: Once a cavity nesting bird starts using your box, you’ll likely see many broods raised over the years. Nesting sites for these birds are limited in number. When they find a good nesting site, there is a very good chance they’ll return in following years. When you put up a nest box you are committing yourself to maintaining that box. Fall and winter are the best times to remove old nesting material, tighten any loose screws and mounts, and add new wood shavings. If you don’t have any ducks using your box over the summer, don’t worry. Waterfowl biologists have seen waterfowl migrating in the fall scope out potential nesting sites for next spring. This too is a good reason to keep your boxes in top condition. You never know when somebody might be popping in!